New Zealand is beating the Delta variant outbreak of August 2021

The zero community spread philosophy is still a valid option.

Since the current outbreak of the Delta variant, internationally, there has been a fairly negative view of NZ chasing zero community spread.

Thankfully, the overwhelming majority of people in NZ support lockdowns, or measures that achieve zero community spread.

For us in NZ, we pursue zero community spread because it is a legitimate choice, and the alternatives include widespread illness and death, particularly while we have fewer than half of our population vaccinated.

I'm hearing a lot of mostly non NZ commentators say we are delaying the inevitable. Some, having rationalised their local devastation are unwilling or unable to face that measures could have saved lives, so what New Zealand is doing, no longer fits their world view. That kind of approach is not rational, and is part of a mindset that reduces possible solutions for some regions throughout the world. Small islands in Fiji and Hawaii already have a zero community spread policy. Aged care homes all over the world have the same sort of 'border control'. Avoiding close contact is a valid choice, when you can.

Interestingly, often cited lack of freedom in NZ from lockdowns, that NZ is socialist or communist or authoritarian - but ironically New Zealand's approach is not only chasing the additional freedoms afforded by having zero community spread, it has achieved just that in…